


Living underground

by RyderDaniels



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Asriel Dreemurr Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Bad Puns, Chara/Frisk swap, Family Fluff, Female Frisk, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff without Plot, Gen, POV Alternating, Platonic Cuddling, Pre-Accident W. D. Gaster, Puns & Word Play, Sans Makes Puns, Scientist W. D. Gaster, Sibling Bonding, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-13 11:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13569264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyderDaniels/pseuds/RyderDaniels
Summary: The adventure was great, lots of friends were made, Monsters were saved, all except one that is, Asriel. But the Dreemurr family deserves a happy life, even if they have to spend it underground. Asriel and his family lives peacefully in the Underground, without any drama or death.It's the slice-of-life where nobody has to die!





	1. The Fallen Human

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive me for the crappy first chapter, I never was that good at intros, so just hang in there.

_Long ago, two races lived on the surface... Monsters, and Humans. But one day, war broke out. After a long fight, where countless monsters were turned to dust, they surrendered. 7 of humanity's greatest mages cast a powerful spell, a barrier. The Barrier trapped the monsters underground, who were never to see the surface for as long as it stood._

* * *

“Help!” You shouted once more, not that you expected anyone to hear, since there's probably noone here, you had fallen down a hole; serves you right for climbing Mount Ebbot. You're thankful for whatever broke your fall at least, but all you can tell from pushing yourself up a bit is that you landed on a very soft patch of yellow flowers.

“It sounds like it came from over here...”

Was that someone? Couldn't have been, must've been your headache playing tricks on you. It feels like there is an unseen fog clouding the place, touching nothing but your head, as well as something somewhere in your chest. You can barely concentrate on the sound of someone coming.

“Oh! You've fallen down haven't you...” That last part wasn't a question. “Are you okay?”

His voice sounds like that of an angel, a soft, childlike compassion seeping from it... it's calming. Hearing it makes your head clear some.

“Here, get up...”

You hesitate, wandering what someone as sweet-sounding as him is doing _here_. But you don't care, you need someone to help you. You let him pull you up, letting you get a good look at him. You... can't quite explain what you see. His face is covered in white fur, but kind regardless. He has long floppy ears and a bit of a snout, curved into a smile. You can't help but stare at the oddity... but, to keep from seeming rude you tell him your name.

“That's a nice name. My name is Asriel.”

Asriel... a nice name for a nice person. Some might disagree on the 'person' part, but he is person enough for you. “Here... mum and dad will know what to do.” You agree to let him take you, as long as you can get some help.

From what you can pay attention to while you're being led, you appear to be in some sort of old castle, or something similar. The walls were like that of a cave, the occasional pillar holding up whatever they used as a ceiling.

Then he seems to lead you to what you can only assume to be the main area. The walls, floor and ceiling are smooth, and colored a royal purple, pillars appearing more frequent, half embedded in the wall. The faint noise of birds and other creatures seem to cease entirely, replaced by a calming silence. If you listened close enough, you swear you could hear calming music come from all around you. The damp cave smell abruptly changes to a lovely autumn scent, reminding you of a peaceful forest.

As you traveled, goat creature by your side, the torches seemed to give off warmth, giving the place a overall homely feel to it. You would pass by the occasional leaf pile, some with creatures playing in them, who, if they saw you, would only stare for a moment, before going back to playing. You could swear you passed over some small rivers as well, further solidifying the fact that you were, in fact, underground.

* * *

The large leafless tree out front was the last thing you remember vividly before the mental fog made it too hard to focus on anything. You had started to feel faint, and did not want to hurt yourself trying. Laying in bed, you try to remember the last 10 minutes. The smell of baked goods, warm fuzzy arms, and a whole lot of fussing to get you in Asriel's bed. Huh, you could've sworn there was more, maybe the fall took more out of you than you thought.

For all you know, this could all just be a dream, one where you weren't at the bottom of a hole. But it's hard to care what might _really_ be happening when you're in a bed this comfortable. Though it's not so much the bed that's making you comfortable, but rather the cute little creature holding an ice-pack on your head.

You wish you could stay like this forev...

* * *

You don't remember when you fell asleep last night, but apparently, the light had been turned off. Asriel had fallen asleep on the chair next to you, the ice-bag dripping condensation onto the floor. A delicious smell comes to your nose, a buttery cinnamon kind. Turning on the bedside lamp makes it easier to see the monster's cute face, half-open from his head leaning against the chair back, he's still sleeping peacefully, despite the sudden light. Over on the floor, you see what it was that was making that smell. Two slices of pie on separate plates, forks included.

Sitting up, you get a flash of pain in your head again, the unfamiliar fog still there, if not as strongly as before. Well, it's still there, you're just kinda used to it. You get off the bed, careful to not wake Asriel, and make your way over to the door. Silently opening the door a crack, you see a dimly lit house, but you couldn't see or hear anyone. Whether they were asleep, or quiet, you find yourself releasing a breath you didn't know you were holding. Maybe you should calm down a bit, you may have just fallen down a hole, met a family of monsters, and pretty much passed out on a bed in a cave, but at least Asriel is kind, and someone seems to have left food for you two, it couldn't be _that_ bad, right?

Apparently done with sleep, Asriel yawns and stretches his arms. If you had any doubts about his benevolence, you don't anymore, not with a cute yawn like that. He almost falls off of the chair, but saves himself when he perks up at the sight of you.

“Oh, you're awake.”

You try to work up the courage to say something, but nothing happened.

Asriel sniffed the air, looked down, and broke into a huge grin. He noticed the ice-bag still in his hand, and dropped it on the ground. He dropped onto his knees and took a plate. He made a sound of contentment as he ate into it. “Mom makes the best pies, you'll love it.” He looks expectantly at you, but you can feel the tension, and you're certain he can feel it too. You had just fallen into a pit, and slept in a monster's bed, a creature you didn't even know existed.

You try to curb the awkwardness in the air, waiting for an idea to present itself, but nothing happened.

The monster's face fell a bit, “Look, I can't even begin to understand what you're going through. But it's not so bad down here.”

You understand what he means by that, but to be honest, the whole monster thing doesn't bother you, it's kinda cool actually. To avoid accidentally offending him, you take your plate and take a bite of the pie, and what do you know...

It's delicious.

* * *

Having finished the slices of pie, we headed out to put the plates away. When we got to what looked like the living room, I saw who was indisputably a mother. She had a welcoming air to her, one that let you know that you would be safe. If you didn't feel safe before, you do now. She and her son exchange 'good morning's before she turns her attention to you. Putting the book she was reading on her chair, and taking off her reading glasses, she walks up to you.

“Are you feeling better, my child?”

You give an affirmative nod. She smiles in return.

“That is good, I hope you enjoyed your pie.”

_grumble_

She gives a small giggle, “I suppose that a slice of pie is not quite enough for breakfast. How about I get you something else...” She pauses, her expression suddenly turns grim, “we... also have something to tell you.”

* * *

You sat at the kitchen table, Toriel, which you have learned was the name of the friendly goat-mother, sat across from you. The father, Asgore, a massive – but equally friendly – goat monster, is sitting awkwardly beside his wife, twiddling his thumbs. He had let her do all the talking so far. Instead of getting you something else, Toriel has simply given you another slice of pie. Looking to your right, Asriel gives you a reassuring smile.

You look back, “No way out huh?”

“We are dreadfully sorry.”

Asgore seems to remember something, “But don't worry, I have the Underground's top three scientists working on a way to break The Barrier.”

Yeah, one of them said something about them being the royal family, it didn't faze you much though. None of it really fazed you, you didn't know what to say. Not that you didn't know what you thought of it, you just didn't know how to tell them. Maybe you should just say it. “I don't care.”

All three of them looked surprised.

“It's nice down here, I don't care if I can't leave, I'll just stay here.”

The parents smiled. Asriel, however, gives you a big bear-hug. You hug him back. But now it's time for a more pressing matter, you have a pie to eat.

* * *

Your name is Toriel Dreemurr, and you are wandering which of Asriel's jumpers he wouldn't mind parting with, the child can't just wear the same thing all the time, it wouldn't be right. It's not like he didn't agree to it first, but you can't tell if he likes any of them more than the others. You are also wandering if what you're thinking of doing is a good idea, it might make the whole jumper-donation thing less awkward.

But enough of that nonsense, you take your marker and grab the tag, and then you name the Fallen Human...

Frisk.

 


	2. Meet the Dreemurrs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, most of my time has been taken by highschool, and the rest is taken by my family.
> 
> Please don't expect regular updates, I have no idea how I am going to commit to that.

You just can't believe the situation you're in. A couple of days ago, you had been climbing a mountain, and you probably wouldn't believe that, in a few days, you would be in an underground house, coloring with a goat monster. But you'd be lying if you said that you wouldn't be intrigued by how something like that could happen.

He's just sitting there, swinging his feet, drawing a yellow flower. You didn't know what to make, so you just went with the floral theme and drew a maple-leaf, like the ones in piles outside of the house (where did they come from?). Asriel catches you staring at him, but only gives you a big grin before going back to drawing. He just seems so pleased to be with you, even though he only just met you. You barely know him either, and it was only yesterday you fell down and got stuck down here.

It would be good to know at least a little about him.

“So... what's your favorite flower?”

“Buttercups, definitely.” He says without looking up.

As good a start as any, you suppose. You look back at your almost finished drawing, wandering what color to use next. Maybe a darker brown, and make one side look darker than the other? Maybe the same color, make it all the same? Maybe you should just color the edges darker? Should you be talking? Is this awkward? Or maybe silence is appropriate for two kids coloring.

You want to make Asriel comfortable sitting next to you, but... maybe you're just trying too hard. You try to concentrate instead on the boxes in the corner: Brown, rectangular containers of stuff, a universal storage option known even by monsters, left in the corner, being used just by existing. You dread to think about what would happen if...

This is stupid, you're going to stop now.

Speaking of stopping, Asriel has finished his drawing of a buttercup, and is showing it to you. You can't say he isn't good at drawing flowers, but you suppose monsters trapped underground don't have the benefit of 21st century technology, so he probably has had a lot of practice with it. You show him your leaf drawing, which he seems to be impressed with.

And let the awkward staring contest begin.

* * *

You suppose you deserve this.

You wanted to know more about them, and now you're taking a trip to goat-mom's favorite bug-hunting spot. _Hooray, it's what you've always wanted,_ bugs. You hope there's a better way to learn about Asgore; if he's interested in slugs or something, you're seriously considering running away to another monster family. Asriel has taken to holding your hand, though. He trusts you way more than he should, since he knows _less_ about you than you know about him. But you just can't find it in your heart to inform him of this, his trusting nature is part of what makes him so... what's the word?

Never-mind that, you love the guy, and if his mother wants to share creepy-crawlies with you, then so be it. But now that you're here, it's... actually pretty boring; there are more than a couple of bugs hidden behind some pillars. You're half-expecting to see one of them talk, but none of them seem to do so. Toriel opens a bug book in front of her, and starts trying to find a matching picture, but Asriel seems more interested in whispering his favorite things about them under his breath, as if taking a mental catalogue of “Neat things about bugs” – you're pretty sure that list will be very short.

Not wanting to be rude and not do anything, you look for a bug that's not too creepy. At the side of the room, several feet away from you, you see a huge frog hop in, looking nonplussed and vaguely bewildered – you don't think he knows why he's here. You'd probably have done something by now, if you weren't staring at the weird face poking out from between his legs. He doesn't look very happy though, so you decide to catch his attention and pay him a compliment.

“Um... I like your eyes.” He hops away without giving any indication that he understood anything you just said, but he seems to be flattered regardless if his red cheeks are anything to go by. Looking back over at Asriel, you see him trying to get a ladybug onto a flower. This isn't going how you thought it would, but you'd be lying if you said it was pointless. You feel a little calmer “outside” than you are usually, which could either be because of your new goat friend, or because of the frog... any number of things really.

But bugs still creep you out.

* * *

_What's your favorite color? No._

_How can goats grow beards? Wait, that's not personal._

_Do you ever wear shoes? UGH!!!!_

You sit slumped on the table, your caprine buddy assembling a puzzle next to you. The pile of boxes in the corner – behind him – look fuller than earlier, though maybe that's just because of the weird angle your head's at. You had been thinking of what to ask Asgore. You don't want to be too intrusive, nor do you want to ask something stupid. It's proving to be incredibly difficult to come up with a question.

You sit up and absentmindedly stare at an old band-aid on your hand. You guess you don't need it anymore, but with not knowing where to throw it out, it seems like too much trouble when it really doesn't matter. You think that's why they haven't discussed what's going to happen with you, they just didn't see the point in doing it right away. But you kinda have this selfish desire to stay with Azzy, he's just too amazing to ignore, kind and funny. But you'd probably be a bad influence on him, making him a more indorsy person than someone like him should be.

You suddenly decide to stop being depressed and look for something to talk about, this silence is driving you insane. Your eyes land on an impressive-looking weapon hanging above the fire-place. “Hey, what's that?”

“That's dad's trident.”

Score! A good conversation topic for the old man. Maybe you can learn to be more at ease around him, his size is intimidating to say the least. But you can't just go in blindly, it could help if you knew more about it beforehand.

“What does he do with it?”

“Not much really, I think it's just for show.”

“Well... has he done anything interesting with it?”

Asriel seems to think on this for a moment, then he gives a great big smile.

“No, but I remember something else that's funny.” He can hardly keep his laughter down before he even starts. “Hey, mom, remember what happened during dad's speech thingy?”

Toriel – who is sitting in her large chair by the fire-place – looks up when her son calls her, “Which one?”

“You know... the one Gerson always talks about.”

Toriel, upon hearing this, blushes, she seems to remember. She giggles a bit.

“Oh, Frisk, you've got to hear this...

* * *

_Okay, so, every month or so, my dad, the King, makes an address to the kingdom, which mom helps with. But there was this one time when mom did something that should've embarrassed her a lot more than it did. As she gave the microphone to dad, she said “Your turn, Fluffybuns.”, but she had forgotten to hold the mic away from her when she said that, and everyone started laughing._

_Dad let this go on for a while, until he raised his hands, and everyone quietened. He had this super-serious face on, like, a lot more serious than he usually does. Then he says “Dear citizens, thank you for coming here today._

_*snort*_

“ _I... King Fluffybuns..._

* * *

Whatever he was about to say next is lost when he and Toriel starts laughing, _hard_. You find it hard not to join in. It will definitely be easier to be around him now that you know what a big dork he is.

You all stop laughing when Asgore himself walks in, seemingly attracted to the laughter. He looks around at everyone holding their breath. “What's going on.” He says in his deep – but now unthreatening – voice.

“Oh nothing...” you start, “King Fluffybuns.”

Everyone starts laughing even harder now, Asriel barely able to keep himself on his chair. After a moment, Asgore starts laughing along as well.

You didn't imagine such silliness from a royal family, and what you expected to be tense, turned out to be quite fun. You don't think you want to leave, but no doubt they'll want to know more about you, and if they know what you're like...

…

You don't think you could fit in well.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sitting through these starter chapters, the poorly represented conflict with Frisk is just filler so she can form a stronger initial bond.
> 
> Remember, just a couple more chapters until the real story begins. These chapters are just for a smooth transition from Frisk falling, to her getting adopted.


	3. The fallen Dreemurr

Your name is Asriel Dreemurr, and your leg really hurts.

You were just running around a bit like you do sometimes, but you weren't looking where you were going. You were looking at your new friend, who had decided to lean against a nearby pillar to read, like she does all the time. _The one time I wear shorts._ The leg doesn't actually hurt that bad, but the shock of it has forced a few tears from your eyes.

God you're such a cry-baby.

Frisk is at your side faster than you'd thought, she didn't even have time to find an improvised bookmark. She supports your back with her right arm, and inspects your superficial monster blood. It's a tiny wound. She reaches over with her left arm; at first, you think she's trying to hug you. But her hand comes back with the old band-aid that was on her other hand, and sticks it to your wound. It's still a bit gooey, but her good intent is enough for the magic in your body to heal it a little.

She helps you up slowly, then pulls your right arm around her to support you before beginning the trip home. Looking over at the abandoned book, surely enough, it's closed without a bookmark of any kind, improvised or otherwise. You know how much she loves reading – kinda reminds you of mom – and for her to so easily lose her place like that... she must care about you a lot, which is ridiculous... you just met!

Once again distracted, you trip up a bit on a pebble. Frisk mistakes this for pain, and holds your chest to keep you steady. You don't know how that's supposed to help, but you're flattered anyways. You clutch her shoulders tighter, as a sort of half hug.

Before you know it, you're back at the house, where Frisk runs up to mom to alert her. You hear her call her Tori. You smile, knowing that she feels more comfortable around her – but you kinda want her to call her something else. Without hesitation, mom picks you up and brings you inside.

Back inside, mom props you up on the chair, and your leg, on another. Frisk sits across the table, looking at you with an unreadable expression. Looking at her hand, you see a dirt outline over a tender scar (the kind that's a few days from fading). You don't like the idea that you have an old gooey band-aid on your purely aesthetic wound, but you leave it on. You feel like you kinda owe her, you really don't deserve to have such a good friend.

* * *

He doesn't deserve to have such a bad friend.

You are now Frisk, and you feel really guilty. First, he acts like an idiot, running around, because you wouldn't play with him. Then, he goes and trips because he was looking at you, and not where he was going. His trip home wasn't very stable either. Why do you have to be so anti-social? You left your book – and your place in it – behind, but you couldn't care less about that, not while your friend is injured. You told Tori that he tripped while playing, but not why, or that you left the book. She's checking under the band-aid before taking it off.

You're not sure you should still be hanging out with him anymore, not if this is what happens. But looking at his smiling face, you're not sure you have the heart to tell him. Soon, he's gonna get hurt so bad, he won't want to go outside anymore. It'll be all your fault.

Toriel picks him up, and starts bringing him to his room. You follow. After Toriel leaves, Azzy is sitting on the bed, smiling all the same. He pats the spot next to him, and your heart clenches one more time. You don't deserve this.

* * *

You wake up the next morning to some rustling sounds. You blink your eyes a bit and look around. You must of fallen asleep at some point, because the light's off, and there is a furry arm around you. You look behind you to find out that Asriel has been spooning you. Sliding out from under his arms, you soundlessly tip-toe your way over towards the door.

Making sure the door doesn't squeak, you open it. On the other side, you see Asgore – having just passed the door to the room – pushing a big(ish) box towards the kitchen. Behind him you see Toriel holding a lone pot of flowers.

“Oh, good morning Frisk.”

Morning? _How late did I get back yesterday?_

“Uh, what are you guys doing with those boxes?”

“Oh, did I not tell you yet? I am sorry. We are going to move to the other side of the cavern, where it is much more spacious.”

“Aren't you guys, like, the rulers? What about the others?”

“I did not mean we as a family, I meant we as a kingdom, we're running out of space.”

Wait they're going to move an _entire kingdom_? How are they going to accomplish that?

“But we are going to move first, and make sure everything is in order, we already have the builders there to finish things off, but in a week or so everyone else will follow.”

“Everyone?”

Asgore shuffles over, “ _*pant*_ Don't worry honey, I... _*pant*_ I got it.”

“Thanks Gory!” Toriel says sweetly, kissing him on the cheek. Asgore blushes and grins like an idiot, before going back to Toriel's room, probably to get another box.

“So, will you be coming with us?”

That is the question you've been trying to avoid. It would be rude, and a waste of an opportunity to not stay with the royalty. But Asriel... he deserves a better influence, not the likes of you. The last thing you want is for that precious thing to become a sarcastic introvert, and what if something happens like yesterday? What if he gets hurt again?

…

Then he won't have anyone to bring him home. What if you had been left at the hole you fell in, you would have bled out. God forbid something like that happens to the clumsy goat. You suppose you should stay with them until you can think of a more permanent response than 'I'll come with'.

“Yes, I... I think I will.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to make the chapters longer, but I think this one didn't have enough content to extend. The next one will hopefully have more story to it, and will probably be my longest chapter yet.
> 
> Hope I don't keep getting side-tracked.


	4. Through the woods and over the river

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last introductory chapter, sort of. Frisk will still have a lot to adjust to, but she'll hang in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez, how long ago did I say I was working on this?
> 
> Okay, so for people who care about this particular author's personal life, I'm in the middle of a big move. I'm finally going back to America! I've taken up temporary residence in my grandmother's house until we can get the papers in order, and since being able to spend so much time with my cousins is rare, I've been taking advantage of it, until they got busy with University stuff.
> 
> But I should be writing more often now, but as usual, I can't make any promises.

It felt like it was just yesterday that Asriel fell down and hurt himself, when it was almost a week ago. But, besides that, everything is pretty much okay, but you still feel guilty, and cold.

No really, it's freezing here, how can a cavern be so cold? Well, looking up, you can easily see how. You knew that it was big down here, but this is ridiculous! It has it's own weather system, and yet the dense forest makes it seem so claustrophobic. Only a single line of trees was cut through it, and as it went on, the paths became larger and branched. The path was only meant for the royal family so they could enter the snowy area without going through the city, not that there was much here for them.

Actually, you heard that some fuzzy monsters were planning on staying in this area. It makes sense, seeing as how the rest of the massive cave consists of a humid cavernous area, and a section filled with lava, with the only weather-less area used as the building site for the city at the other end of the cavern. Asriel doesn't seem to mind the cold at all, and is just looking around at the trees.

He seems happy to be moving away, your guess is that there's probably a castle waiting for him. It's one of the benefits of being part of the royal family, among other things, and if you're being perfectly honest... he deserves every part of it. For someone to stay so innocent and bubbly, you just can't see how that even happens, though being a royal probably has a part in that too. Apparently the Dreemurr family is what they call Boss Monsters, which is a different species of Monster. There might be something genetic about it.

In any case, you still don't know what you're going to do when you get there, you don't have any place to go, it's not like the royal family will just let you stay with them. From what you've heard from the history books you found, it was humans that locked them underground in the first place. They probably don't even want you here. They're probably just doing this for Asriel, so he could have a friend, even just for a little while. You look over to him. He's staring at you with a half-smile.

You don't expect what happens next.

He reaches down and pulls his sweater over his head and gives it to you, leaving his furred chest bare. He doesn't seem to mind the cold, but the gesture is grand regardless. It kinda hurts, seeing how far he's willing to go for you. You accept the sweater anyways, since you _are_ cold. It slips on easily, seeing as how it was already too big for Asriel, and just like him, you have to bunch up the sleeves and collar to get it to fit.

“Aren't you cold?” you ask.

“Nope.” he replies simply. He stares at you with that same big grin, like you're his best friend. It hurts to think of what he might learn from you.

* * *

You took the break from the walk as an excuse to wander off, where you found a nearby river. You didn't want to intrude on their family time. It's not for you to intrude on. You take the maple-leaf from your pocket and look at it. You had taken it so you could say that you had possessions of some sort, and now it's sorta become a symbol for your life; dead, and decaying, something that had fallen off of something much bigger, wilted off when the cold was about to arrive, and only to blow in someone's face until it broke down into dirt.

Putting the leaf back in your pocket, you look up to see Asriel walk down the hill, then you turn back to the water.

“Howdy Frisk.”

“Don't you want to spend time with your family?” You say, taking off the jumper, and giving it back.

“I wanna spend time with you.”

“Why's that?”

“Because, I want to get to know you... we all do, actually, it'd be silly to not know anything about you now that you're living with us.”

“What makes you think they'll let me stay forever?”

He stops smiling, clenching the jumper in his hand; since he can't think of a response, you think of one for him.

“You just hope that they'll accept another mouth to feed just so you have another person to talk to.”

“It's not just that,” He gives a sad smile “friends do more than just talk, they play, they laugh, they have fun... and if they're close enough, they share their whole lives together.”

“And why would they do that, just for you?”

“Because,” He says, matter-of-factly, “that's what parents do.”

You don't know what to say to that, maybe Monster parents aren't like that, maybe not all parents are like that. Jeez, pushing him away isn't easy, you're gonna have to just go and say it, aren't you? You've been avoiding this sentence.

“I'm a bad influence on you.”

He stops smiling again, you hate seeing that face, it's like his face forget what it's supposed to be doing, it doesn't look right. Seconds seem to be stretching into hours, his face lasts an eternity.

“You mean that incident from a week ago? Is that why you're avoiding me?”

You say nothing.

“Golly, that was nothing,” He laughs, “I was just being a crybaby, it didn't even hurt that much... it didn't really help that mom was making a big show of caring for it.”

“But still, I was the reason it happened.”

“You've treated me like a flower ever since you got here, you really don't give yourself enough credit.” He starts to walk away, “You're not a bad person Frisk.”

You clench the stem of the maple-leaf, thankful that it's somehow sturdy enough to stay together in your pocket.

* * *

Back on the road again, you approach a heavy veil of humid mist. The others just walk right on through, so you follow suit. It feels more like walking through a fluffy cloud, before a blast of hot air hits you. The area behind is drastically different, the stone in the ground bare and without snow, the sound of a blizzard replaced with that of rushing water, and a slightly darker atmosphere.

The walls are a bit closer together, and the ground deeper, making it more like a ravine then a cave. Clouds seem to have formed at the top, raining in certain areas, to release the water that came from the bottom, to once again be put through the endless cycle of waterfalls that cover the majority of the area. Groups of bridges line every edge of the cliffs, making pathways for people to cross without getting too wet. Most of them around the center layer, the least improvised ones too.

Everyone takes just a moment to awe at the features. You look around, high and low at the sudden change of scenery, disappointed at how dark it is, stopping you from enjoying the view. It's not long before they take off again, following the path straight ahead, half of which was made of wood.

On every bridge, Toriel holds both Asriel's and your hands, making sure both of you don't fall. Occasionally the group stops to look at cool waterfalls, or at an interesting crystal, but eventually you get to the edge of the ravine-like waterfall area, and find yourselves at the side of a massive body of water, opposite which is a massive stone castle.

The sound of distant rain somehow makes the view all the more amazing. This side of the castle is exactly what you'd expect to see from the medieval era's greatest architect, the faint yellow lights in the windows adding to it's majesty. The clear reflection in the water makes it look bigger, as well as giving it a peaceful look. The light shafts in the distance make it clear that further away, light has an easier time getting through. The light also indicates that it's probably morning, and that this side may only be the back side.

The Dreemurrs all sit on the side of the water, reminiscing on the time they spent in their old small home.

Which is the excuse you have for leaving again.

* * *

You find a small cave with a glowing pond, with crystals lining the side of the walls. But you don't have it in you to look at it, so you lie on the ground and stare at the ceiling, which kinda reminds you of the night sky on the surface.

The crystals on the top are smaller, and resemble the stars, the millions of lights in the sky that put up a fight when it comes to who is more populated, Space, or the Earth. Despite being a part of it, adding one to the count, taking away one wouldn't make much of a difference, just like a star, a star like any other. It reminds you of the leaf in your pocket. A leaf identical to many others.

Of course though, you can't be left alone for long before Asriel comes seeking you out. Instead of saying something though, he just lays down a couple feet away. At least you're getting a break from stress... of course, with anyone else, he'd probably still have a lot of energy. Dealing with a moody human is probably making him tired.

“What are stars like?”

You're a little bewildered at the tame question, “Uhh, what?”

“Are the stars on the surface anything like these ones?”

You pay attention to the roof again, and realize that the crystals don't look like much else. It really is just a replica of the night sky, despite the lack of visible space dust and lower star count. You don't have the heart to tell him how much cooler the night sky looks compared to this... “Yeah, not much different.”

…

“I like stars.” He comments, “A lone star isn't that much, but each one makes the sky just a little bit brighter.”

Whoa, that came right out of left field. Did his parents tell him that one? Probably not, it doesn't seem like he gets to visit this area, they don't have 'stars' in the city either, but then how does he know about stars at all? Is he even trying to make a metaphor? Well... that's a weird comment to make about stars, then again, he isn't a normal kid.

He looks at you, “You brighten my sky Frisk.”

Wait... is he coming on to you? Either way, that's way too sappy.

Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

He rolls onto his front. “You know, before you fell, all I would do all day was either color, or play with the toys in my room, it was boring.”

Wait, so he's not actually an extrovert? You sit up and look at him.

“I fell that day because I hadn't been running that much, and I was still getting used to spending time outside. I went out far from the house so you had a quiet space away from mom to read, because I know that you like reading. Not only was it not your fault, it was mine, I was trying too hard to treat you well, that I forgot to think about how you felt. If I had known you felt that way, I would've been talking to you about it before.”

“You... did all that for me?”

“Of course! A human falls into a world full of Monsters, a kind that they've had no experience with. With humans, you look mostly the same, but not with Monsters, that'd be like discovering a million species at once. Golly, you must have been scared.”

…

“Come on, I think mom's probably getting worried about us.”

* * *

Your name? Well, earlier today, you'd probably say it was Frisk, introvert and a burden to be with. In hindsight, you were probably being melodramatic. You mightn't have been much, but to say that your presence was actively hindering peoples lives was kind of a heavy-handed thing to say about someone who didn't do much.

But then you took a trip with the Monster royal family, a migration of sorts to a new home, titled... “New Home”. You had a talk with what is possibly the most precious person in the world, and even shared his sweater with him. You slowly learned what it was like to be someone that hung out with you, and realized something; you should be glad to be with someone so sweet, and not feel so pressured.

Then you got on a small wooden boat with the family, and had a talk. You had a talk that you should have had a long time ago, and what came of it was something that made it the best conversation you've had in your entire life, and made you the happiest kid in the world.

You arrived at the castle you now stand in, and started wondering where to put a leaf. Not just any leaf though, it's the most important leaf in the world, because you're the one who owns it. It's small enough to fit in a pocket, and sturdy enough to last a trek throughout the entire Underground, end to end.

Asgore puts his hand on your shoulder, and you don't flinch. You're not the kind of person to worry anymore, a certain someone's been a good influence on you. But there's another reason you shouldn't be nervous around Asgore, King of Monsters.

It's because of your name. Your name is Frisk _Dreemurr_ , playful 8-year-old, avid reader... _and devoted sibling._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's at this point that I have to ask - since I'm no good at thinking of mundane sibling activities - what should Frisk and Asriel's first bonding activity be?
> 
> No seriously, binge-watching South Park isn't good for thinking of ways normal people become closer together.
> 
> I'll try my best to remain independent, but don't expect anything amazing to come out of it, especially without any character quirks developed yet. But don't give me any suggestions for character quirks, I like coming up with my own stuff, and don't bring in any other canon characters, because I have a plan for all of them. I'm bringing it in slowly as I go.


	5. Making a castle a home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am so sorry, it's been a LOONG while. I was busy moving to the opposite side of the planet, and barely gliding along for the ride, until I write this now on my brand new desk. To make up for it, I'll get started on writing another chapter right now.
> 
> For those that are interested, I'd like to point out that the layout of RPG's aren't an accurate representation of the world it's in. Would you really believe that the entire underground was completely linear? Do you really think that you would have to go through Asgore's personal house to get to the throne room? I know he's laid back, but not THAT laid back. So don't think that the castle layout is anything like the game.

You clutch at the baggy green and yellow jumper Toriel gave you, one of Asriel's spares that Toriel gave you. You suppose that you should be calling them your brother and mother now, but it still feels weird, wearing this jumper is weird. Not as weird as the atmosphere though, the strange cloudy feeling you felt ever since you fell down, which has gotten stronger now that you're here. You've been ignoring it for the most part, maybe when this whole situation gets less awkward, you'll ask someone about it and hopefully it's nothing.

You have been trying to get to know them better ever since you were adopted, about a week ago. But they've been so busy unpacking and settling in to their new home, that you haven't been able to learn anything.

Right now, Toriel is unpacking stuff in her and Asgore's bedroom, you could ask her about some of their stuff, maybe find out something about them. But what if you bring up something emotional and sad by accident? _No Frisk, you said you would stop thinking like that._ Maybe it's better to just not think about it and hope you learn about them through time. They _do_ want you to rest, it's been a rough month for you.

You just decide to look around at your room. On either side of the room, is your bed on the left, and Asriel's bed on the right, with a dresser and shelves in the middle. A shelf lines the upper wall of the room, ready to hold sentimental things and old toys probably. At the foot of his bed, the toy chest, still full of generic building blocks and a toy train, among other things. At the foot of yours, is his pair of big plush... things.

_This is boring, I really need to do something before I go crazy._ You eventually decide to help Toriel anyways.

* * *

You peek in, and see several boxes strewn about the mostly empty room, with goat-mom sitting at one of them. You knock on the open door. “Oh, Frisk, did you come to help with the unpacking?”

You only offer a strong silence, before entering.

“I am afraid I do not have much left to unpack, but you can help with what is left.”

She's right, only a few of the boxes still have stuff left in them. You sit at a still full box labeled “memories”, and open the top flaps, uncovering scrap books, stacked up flat. The top one is ongoing, which you place on the right of an empty shelf in the bookcase. The next one reads “2000 to 2010”, you flick through, spotting a couple with Asgore and Toriel acting cute together. Another photo shows them holding a trophy, you can't see the plaque, but you believe it's a first-place, you see it on top of the dresser. You see one with them standing next to a turtle dressed in what is either ceremonial, or really old, armor, and a skeleton with what looks like a wolf skull or something. You flick through the rest, noting a pregnancy before lots of cute photos of Asriel, before deciding to stop.

You continue placing the books in order on the shelf, and note the strange range of years. You do a double-take. _These go back to the 1400s!!!_ The books have wider and wider ranges of years, going up to 100 years. You look at the last one, decorated with preserved leaves – very preserved – and open it. The most decorated photo shows a young-adult goat monster dressed casually, and very tall. He's holding a bouquet of buttercups, with his other arm around a shorter girl goat monster, who is grinning like an idiot, covered in leaves, like she just jumped into a leaf pile.

The most notable thing about this photo isn't the monsters however, nor is it the alleged year it was taken, compared to when colored cameras were invented, nor was it how casually they had dressed, it was how the sunlight was shining through the autumn leaves... _the sunlight._

You freeze up when you fell a breath on your back. Toriel is looking over your shoulder at the album in your hands, a sad expression on her face. _I knew it, I've opened up an old wound, and I didn't even have to say anything._

She takes the book, her mind stuck in memories of the past. You quickly walk out and start to wander the castle.

* * *

You lose yourself easily in the halls, wandering down one corridor to the next, running into the occasional library or spare bedroom. The walls, although gold colored, aren't actually made of gold, but are just stone bricks painted a gold color – you suppose it _would_ be kinda silly if it was made of actual gold. The pillars that divide the hallways into thirds are colored the same, with perfectly smooth – but rounded – bricks.

Briefly checking your surroundings, you find a row of windows that look out towards the Great Lake, as Asgore has taken to calling it, not big enough to be an ocean, but it was – in fact – great. The crystals in the roof, highlighting the rocks near the ceiling, make it impossible to see where you were standing on the other side, like it was the perfect hiding spot.

Not wanting to spend too much time alone, you keep moving, and it's not long before you run into what is clearly a throne room. A big throne, colored gold like the walls, with plush red cushions, like the carpet leading up to it. The throne is off-center, with a smaller throne beside it. You can't see anyone in the room, at least not from the doorway. Slowly moving inside, you call out. “Asgore? Are you here?” No answer.

You start forward, looking around the room for any defining details, but the room is hardly decorated, only having just been built. Soon enough you run out of things to look at, and you stop in the middle of the room. You go to turn around, but you hear light footsteps slowly make its way toward you.

You freeze up, they don't say anything, just keeping a creepy silence. They slow to a stop behind you, and whisper in a quiet voice, “Turn around, and shake my hand.”

Not wanting to be on the creepy stalker's bad side, you slowly turn on the spot, and grip the monster's hand. After a few firm shakes, you look down in your hand, and see an ordinary stick of gum, which is decidedly not licorice-flavored. “Want some gum?”

Looking up, you see a skeleton who is hardly any taller than you, with teeth somehow curved up into a slight grin, and with white dots in his eye sockets. He's wearing a lab coat and black pants.

“Was just wandering because you looked lost.”

“Um, I was just looking...”

“What's your name kid?” He interrupts.

“Uh, Frisk?” You respond.

“And where'd you come from?”

“I sorta, fell down here, and they took me in.”

He looks surprised, “Really? They did, did they?”

You freeze, you just remembered something. The other monsters might not actually like you, not after the war, you were lucky about the Dreemurrs, but this is the first time you really got introduced to another monster.

So when Asgore shows up and distracts him, you take the opportunity to sneak away.

* * *

_You never really think about the kind of impact you have on people, especially when it comes to who – or what – you are. Just by being there, you can make a difference. I would not have stuck around for this long if it wasn't for the little prince, the fluffy angel that I can now call a brother._

It still feels weird though, he might be your brother by name, and you might know about him enough to claim to really _know_ him as a person, but there is still a long way to go before it really feels right. But maybe you don't need anything to do, maybe you don't need to help in order to bond. Maybe bonding can happen just by being together.

You never were good at gardening, but that doesn't mean you can't watch Asriel do some. He always did seem fine just being with you, so what's the point trying to actually _do_ something with him? Then again, it might be a monster thing, after all...

Aren't buttercups supposed to be a weed?

And yet, there he is, planting a plot of buttercups around a tree sapling. Deciding that watching him from afar for so long is creepy, you walk up to him, and sit next to him. He only smiles at you, then starts watering the yellow garden again. You suppose this _is_ nice. Despite the apparent lack of over-world animals, you can hear an ambient chirping from above.

You look up at the mammoth cave's roof, where small holes apparently provide soft light, a yellowish bluish color, which seems to stay the same regardless of weather. It's getting dark, you're already see some glowing crystals breaking through the filtered day-light.

You wander if anyone is up there, if they even notice that there are holes in the ground, or even if they care about where they go if they do. Are there even any humans that remember monsters actually exsisted. Do they know about the war?

Does Asriel?

I mean, humans are probably the monsters' version of monsters, are you his beastly friend? It might be like a fairy-tale, where one kid tries to convince everyone else that they're not bad. Would that happen? Would there be monsters still with a grudge?

_I don't want him to think of me that way, as just “the good one”. I mean, that's not_ totally  _untrue, humans are known to wage war for no real reason. War for the sake of war, that's what human history has been like. But I don't want Asriel to think that I might one day... turn._

“Azzy? What do you think of humans?”

“What do you mean?” He says, confused.

“I mean... how do you feel about them?”

“Well, I wouldn't know, I've only met you.”

“But, haven't you heard about... the... you know?”

He puts his watering can down for a moment and looks at you, “Frisk, the war was hundreds of years ago, and I've never seen what humans are like personally, how am I supposed to judge a species by ancient history?”

_Wow, that was surprisingly... mature of him._ His judgment seems to be better than most humans you know. How much do you bet he didn't learn that from somewhere? It's actually unbelievable how innocent he is. You guess that there's no reason to feel weird about it after all, he probably already thinks of you as a sister. You clutch at the baggy green and yellow jumper, it feels comfortable, why wouldn't it?

It used to belong to your brother.

 

**Author's Note:**

> TIMELINE INFO:
> 
> I have seen many timelines made of what happened before the events of Undertale, all of them different, all of them incomplete. Some of these timelines even conflicted with themselves, as well as with information not present on them.
> 
> But that is part of what Toby Fox has done deliberately, giving us a vague understanding of their past for us to invent for ourselves, so I will not bother with being strict with it, even if it means a few invisible plot-holes. If it helps, think of it as an AU, I'm pretty much doing that by swapping characters, so you should have no problem accepting a few things that might make the Undertale story-line impossible.
> 
> P.S. Again, sorry for the excess amount of time-cuts, I couldn't be worse at anything as much as I am at intros.


End file.
